Vernal Pools in NH (house, buying, new construction)

[BF66389]

After learning that we have one in our backyard (well back from the house) that is serving as the breeding ground for some endangered Marbled Salamanders and finding out how critical they are to many species survival- I wanted to share with folks since they are common in NH:

Here is a good description/info:
Descriptions of vernal pools

Basically a vernal pool is a small (or sometimes large) pool of water created by snowmelt/spring rains that stays around for awhile and then goes away later in the year. Several small critters (many endangered) rely on them for breeding/survival- hatching their young/laying eggs when wet; but spending the rest of their lives in the surrounding dry area in the dirt/under rocks/leaves, etc.

Treating these pools for mosquitos, drying them up, disturbing them, clearing the brush from around them (causing them to dry faster/get too hot) can kill the creatures living inside.

You *may* think the stagnant water is a mosquito threat- however usually it is not because the critters living in the pool eat the mosquito eggs/larvae before they can hatch. The mosquitos you find in the area are probably normal/from other sources like pools in leaves/rotting trees, etc (mosquitos will travel up to a mile anyway).

So- if you have such a pool in your woods...leave it alone, little critters will thank you.

[buck naked]

we have one...I wouldn't think of filling it in even though I've been accused of breeding mosquitoes

[BF66389]

They actually tend to have a lot of freshwater shrimp, dragon fly larvae, as well as the salamander young- which will make short work of any mosquitos that decide to lay eggs in the pool. So I'd encourage your "accusers" to do some research.

I believe I read a report stating that mosquitos will travel up to 1 mile...and they actually prefer smaller/fully shaded breeding areas (bird baths, old tires, planters, etc) to larger more open breeding areas like a veranl pool anyway.

[mustmove]

FYI- Vernal pool mapping is a new tool of the anti-development crowd. If they come asking to map your vernal pools and you let them, once those pools are on the federal wetlands map nothing can be built for miles around- not miles, but your property rights and those of your neighbors may be impinged.

[BF66389]

Originally Posted by mustmove

FYI- Vernal pool mapping is a new tool of the anti-development crowd. If they come asking to map your vernal pools and you let them, once those pools are on the federal wetlands map nothing can be built for miles around- not miles, but your property rights and those of your neighbors may be impinged.

How does letting them change anything? The mapping could be done with a satellite, a plane, heck- even a guy off my property on the street with some IR thermography and a laser-ranger could map it.

I think I'd rather just let the mother/daughter with flashlights do their little salamander census, leave the pool alone, and be done with it. After all- its my property, and my rights...correct?

[BF66389]

More info: http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wild...rnal_Pools.pdf
The suggestion is not to allow new construction within 100 feet...

[mustmove]

It is your property, but your property rights are not absolute. Owning property with mapped wetlands limits your property rights. Vernal pools are next. I'm not advocating filling them in, and there is an argument for leaving them be, but protecting vernal pools is a new tool of anti-development-back door zoning types. VT is organizing vernal pool mappings and the dirty secret behind it is improper taking of property rights. I believe ME has done it as well.
Vernal pools are somewhat subjective, so I believe they need to mapped from the ground. I just wouldn't volunteer their existence to the town or allow pools to be mapped.

[dognh]

Originally Posted by BF66389

How does letting them change anything? The mapping could be done with a satellite, a plane, heck- even a guy off my property on the street with some IR thermography and a laser-ranger could map it.

I think I'd rather just let the mother/daughter with flashlights do their little salamander census, leave the pool alone, and be done with it. After all- its my property, and my rights...correct?

It's your property, but if you've ever looked at buying a lot or even a house and are shown a wetlands map, you'll quickly find out how restricted your rights are to your own property - no building within 100' of wetlands.

I'm not for destroying wetlands or nature, but most wetlands are not not wet at all (reeds and grass blowing in the wind down by the shore), it's usually a damp area - but the buffer stretches far from the actual wet. I agree with the poster that much of the wetlands mapping is pushed by anti-development/anti-private property zealots

[BF66389]

mustmove & dognh- your points go to make my initial posting even more important which is great. Simply put if people realize (personally) that they have a valuable resource on their property and take action (personally) to protect it...then there is no need for other intervention. In my case- none of this matters; I recognize that such a thing is on my property...and will leave it alone (actually, even if it wasn't there, its still so far back that I'd leave it alone). I wanted to post to encourage others to do the same (leave it alone).

That said, I have confirmed that the exploration was an attempt to catalog Marbled Salamander populations in NH...not to designate the pool a wetland.

[lisa g]

I appreciate reading differing points of view on this topic and hope this thread grows. Anyone else willing to post their thoughts on this? Personal property rights vs. Conservation....is there a happy medium and if so, where and who determines it and how?